China trying to impose Mandarin in Tibetan schools

Buddhist scholar also expressed that this policy is aimed at China’s Sinicization of Tibetan Buddhism….reports Asian Lite News

In a bid to tighten command over Tibet Autonomous Region, Chinese authorities have directed the Buddhist monasteries in Tibet to translate classroom texts from Tibetan into Mandarin, China’s “common language,” said a news report.

Beijing has also instructed the monks and nuns to adopt the Chinese language for communication instead of their native language, government authorities said at the three-day conference held in Qinghai province last month, reported Radio Free Asia.

“This policy is just an ignorant power play by the Chinese government,” said Radio Free Asia, quoting a Buddhist scholar, who added that “the question now is, who will translate these Buddhist texts, and what kind of job will they be able to do?”

The Buddhist scholar also expressed that this policy is aimed at China’s Sinicization of Tibetan Buddhism.

“A few Tibetan scholars and researchers participated in this [Qinghai] meeting, they were forced to do so in spite of their reluctance,” the scholar said.

“There is no good intention behind this plan,” he added.

This is the latest evidence from the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) that indicates Chinese authorities’ real view of minority languages, that they come second, Human Rights Watch informed.

Last month, Chinese authorities detained two Tibetan students who ‘opposed’ Beijing’s plan to impose the use of the Chinese language as the only medium of instruction in Tibetan schools.

Jinping XI’s government is imposing such norms on the autonomous region of Tibet in an attempt to tighten its grip over the region.

Earlier in September, Chinese authorities have also threatened to shut down a Tibetan school if they fail to provide classroom instruction exclusively in Chinese. (ANI)

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